Chapter 66: Settlement in an instant
{TL: By Creed}
"Whoa!!"
The man exhales a burst of determination as he kicks the ground.
Without immediately launching an attack, he dashes around me from front to back, left to right, seemingly probing for openings.
"It's incredible speed." "I have no idea what's happening." "How much skill does it take to make something like that possible?"
...I hear voices from the surroundings saying such things.
Is it really something to be so amazed about?
Right, back, left, back, left, front, right, front, right...
I see it all.
Sometimes when the man attempts to attack, I look that way, and...
"Huh!?"
The man widens his eyes in surprise, ceases his attack, and returns to disturbing me once again.
It seems like the party guests are astonished by the man's movements...
But I'm not surprised.
With someone like Sofia, who's an outlier, nearby, this is nothing to be surprised about.
"Fate, you should also realize that you're quite the outlier."
As if reading my mind, the Licorice above my head murmurs with a somewhat exasperated tone.
――――――――――
What's with this guy?
What on earth is happening?
The man... Zeros felt both confusion and bewilderment.
Zeros was confident in his strength to crush rocks.
He was confident in his leaping ability, as if soaring through the air.
He was confident in his leg strength, said to make his figure disappear.
And yet, Fate, invited as one of Doctor's guests, easily surpassed Zeros's limits.
On top of that he heard that Fate had still had more power left.
Unbelievable.
Due to his high pride, Zeros couldn't admit this fact and tried to defeat Fate directly.
Super-speedy movement.
Weaving feints multiple times to create fatal openings and deliver a decisive blow.
With this tactic, Zeros had always achieved victory.
There was no one who could keep up.
No one, but...
"Huh...!?"
Every time he tried to attack, his eyes always met Fate's.
"You see all of my moves?"
It felt like Fate was saying that.
Indeed, he must see them.
And he must have the reflexes to respond accordingly.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.
Zeros screamed inwardly.
He refused to acknowledge Fate's power, denied it.
If he didn't, his pride would shatter into pieces...
And he would have lost before even crossing swords.
"I... shouldn't be inferior to some kid riding on the title of Sword Saint! I'm the strongest!"
Zeros recalled his glorious past battles.
He had won them all.
Even opponents considered superior, he had succeeded in making them crawl on the ground.
He had never lost.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him an elite.
And yet...
"To be bested by some kid riding on the title of Sword Saint!!"
He absolutely couldn't afford to lose.
He couldn't acknowledge anyone above him.
Zeros decided to use his trump card.
As if foreseeing such a situation, a mechanism to shoot poison needles was installed inside his sleeve.
It wouldn't cause death, but if it hit directly, it was a potent poison that would immobilize for several days.
The ejection speed was fast, and at close range, surely it couldn't be avoided.
Or maybe it could be avoided, and he might get countered...
That was a risk.
"Alright."
Zeros made up his mind.
You couldn't get a return without risks.
Repeating feints several times...
Making it seem like he was acting as usual, inducing a misread in his opponent's thoughts... and then, he shot the needle.
"Huh."
Fate reacted to the needle.
He hadn't missed the tiny needle shot out at high speed.
What kind of dynamic vision was that?
Despite feeling fearful, Zeros smirked.
Fate saw the needle but didn't dodge it; he caught it.
Perhaps he thought if he dodged, it would hit the audience behind him.
Kind-hearted fool.
Zeros smirked inwardly.
The poison acted immediately.
With this, victory was assured.
Zeros charged head-on to deliver the finishing blow.
However, it was nothing but his carelessness and arrogance.
If he had continued to observe carefully as before, he would have noticed.
Fate, who was supposed to have been hit by the poison needle, hadn't fallen...
There was no staggering in his footsteps whatsoever.
"It's over!"
"That's my line."
"Huh?"
The two intersected...
And in an instant, the conclusion was reached.
A powerful impact surged through Zeros's abdomen...
Unable to withstand or deflect it, Zeros lost consciousness then and there.
TL Note: Simple and satisfying duel, There was no chapter on Thursday as the site that provides raws was down for maintenance.
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